Pole Lake in Manitoba: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Pole Lake falls in in Manitoba. Beyond the shoreline you have northern bush. The water covers some 37 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The bank runs about 2.7 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. The nearest town is Thompson, 209 km away. Further out sit Snow Lake (217 km) and Pelican Narrows (231 km). The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Pole Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read Pole Lake before you fish it and the day goes better. Bright light pushes fish tight to whatever cover exists.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -26°C to 16°C. This is a two-season water: locked, then wide open. Once it clears, about mid May, the fishing comes on quickly. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid May and starts locking again about early November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Pole Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Ron Lake sits 2.3 km off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Pole Lake as something to verify.